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WorldSBK and WSS entry lists finally released

Published:
04 February 2016

It has taken a long time but the final shape and size of the WorldSBK grid has finally arrived, with 24 regular Superbike entries – including the once impossible reappearance of two Aprilia RSV4 machines.

IodaRacing Team, recent MotoGP runners, will line up in the Superbike paddock after gaining enough budget and support to allow them to run a two-man team of Alex De Angelis (yet another MotoGP refugee) and last year’s Superstock 1000 Champion for Aprilia, Lorenzo Savadori.

Late arrivals Aprilia will make it seven manufacturers in all this year, and no small-scale companies among them.

Given that solid base from top to bottom the manufacturer least fancied for getting top results is maybe the once legendary MV Agusta, even though they run multiple podium-scorer and former BSB Champion Leon Camier. Not to mention an F4RR roadbike that puts out 200bhp in street trim.

The fact that a manufacturer with this degree of heft and such a proven rider on board is maybe the least likely to have a race-winning chance, in the early part of the year at least, points at a high level of even the middle ground that makes up the landscape of 2016.

This is significant in a year when Yamaha is back in officially with a potent new bike for the job, Honda has signed Nicky Hayden, Kawasaki has a new and more Sykes-friendly bike for their two world champions to use, Ducati has an even better race-winning Panigale and BMW plays a four-man running flush of endless possibilities…

Both Althea Racing and Milwaukee SMR teams are part of their overall BMW customer set-up, not official as such, but BMW is taking it all more seriously than they have done since their official exit a few years ago.

At the top of the new shop Jonathan Rea will indeed run number 1, as is his right as the 2015 champion.

The on-track elevation of the class is clear and about to start showing itself off very soon at Phillip Island, in its new ‘races on two days’ format.

In the WSS category a revamped (read reduced) set of technical rules and the eradication of the Superstock 600 class in the winter means a combined regular entry list at European races of 34, with 11 of them not doing the non-European rounds. ‘FIM Europe Supersport Cup’ entries will compete for the same points as the regulars in Europe, and among themselves too, as they will do not have the same number of points scoring opportunities as those who will do all 13 WSS rounds.

As well as the expected quantities on the WSS grid last year’s American star and race winner PJ Jacobsen has made the list with Honda despite losing their proposed 2016 sponsor.